Suction cleaner



Jan. 2, 1945. Q. BERG SUCT ION CLEANER Filed Dec. 25, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 R m v .n 3. we N, 3 l J m u 8 Q o. M m P m cm 8.. I m m Q llmw N m 5 w W! m w A, Hm F P... i: 2.. /l/., M T :1. oh mh ATTORNEY Q. BERG SUCTION CLEANER Jan. 2, 1945.

4 Sheets-Sheet 2 I-NVENTOR Filed Dec. 23 1940 a a B m .m o i w m A u 0.

Jan. 2, 1945. BERG SUCTION CLEANER Filed Dec. 23. 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 w NB N 5 R v 0 ml ww n A w 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR s, Jim M44 ATTORNEY Jan. 2, 1945. R

SUCTION CLEANER Filed Dec. 25 1940 Patented Jan. z, 1945 v 2.366.481 sue-non cmsnna Quentin Berg, um de Grace, Ma, casino: to The Hoover Gompany, North Canton, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Application December 23, 1940, Serial No. 371,213 7 9 claims. (c1.-1s-s) Thepresentinvention relates to auction cleaners in general and particularly to a new and novel suction cleaner characterized by its low height Y and its ease-of conversion from .an on-the-floor cleaner to an oif-the-floor cleaner. More speciflcally the invention comprises an easily fabricated suction cleaner which is convertible from an on-the-fioor cleaner to an ofl-the-floor cleaner, the surface-agitating means of the cleaner being automatically disconnected in the latter relationship.

- It is an object of the present invention to pro-, vide a new and improved suction cleaner. It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved suction cleaner of low height.

A further object of the invention is to provide a new and improved suction cleaner in which the functionally essential casing parts are fabricated in a new and novel manner. A still further object of the invention is to provide a new and novel suction cleaner in which relatively high suction.

is obtained by a smalldiameter fan driven at high speed, the agitating means for the cleaner ting belt which connects the rear end of the motor shaft to the laterally displaceable jackshaft;

Figure 5 is'a longitudinal section upon the line' 5-5 of-Figure 3.

The range of usefulness of a suction cleaner is increased by making the cleaner of low height so as to enable it to pass underarticles of furniture, etc., which have a small clearance above the supporting surface, and also by so constructing it that it can be convertible from an on-thefloor cleaner to an ofi-the-floor cleaner. When related as an ofi-the-fioor cleaner the cleaner is usable for the cleaning of drapes, furniture and articles which are positioned above the usual supportingsurface, dusting tools of the ordinary type being combined therewith for that purpose.

being driven from the same motor by power transmitting means which permit of speed reduction in an improved manner. A still furtherobject of the invention is to provide a new andimproved low height suction cleaner inwhich conversion of the machine from an on-the-fl'oor to an ofi-the-fioor cleaner is accomplished easily and automatically disconnectsthe surfac agitator from the driving motor.

novel power-transmitting means in a suction cleanerin which the conversion of the machine from an on-the-floor cleaner to an off-the-floor cleaner also accomplishes the disconnectinzoi' the normal, surface agitator within the cleaner nozzleby means including a laterally displaceable power-transmitting shaft. object of the invention is to provide, in a suction cleaner, a laterally displaceable pulley inthe agitator driving system which, in its inoperative position, permits the power-transmitting belt normally operative therewith to be supported free therefrom. These and other more specific. objects will appear upon reading the following specification and claims and upon considering in connection therewith the attached drawings to which they relate. 1

Referring now to thedrawings: Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section through a suction cleaner constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure-2 is a bottom view or the cleaner; Figure 3 is a front view of the cleaner with a part of the front nozzle wall broken away to show the agitator drive:

Figure 4 is a transverse. section upon the line H of Flam 2 and shows the power-unmit- -A still further' object of th invention is to provide new and Still another type, theradial dimensions of the fan necessaryv to move the required volume of air and to provide the speed of the agitator which is driven from And, of course, when related for on-the-fioor cleaning, the cleaner functions in its normal capacity with surface agitation and cleaning air passing through the cleaner nozzle in-the usual manner to the dirt-filtering dust bag. In the agitator type of suction cleaner the flow of air is. usually relatively great and the suction limited to a. value somewhat less than that used in straight air cleaners. In such cleaners heretofore where the cleaner has been of the horizontal axis the requisite suction, and also thediameter of the motor, have been factors which have determined the lower limit for the cleaner height. If a. small diameter fan is used, that fan must be rotated at a higher speed in order to provide the necessary air capacity, and when such higher speed is' used diflcuity has heretofore been encountered in eflecting'the requisite reduction in the same motor as the suction-creating fan.

In the cleanerconstructed in accordance with the present invention a high speed horizontal axis fan of relatively'small diameter is used, thereby permitting of reduced cleaner height but,

necessitating increased motor and fan speed. An agitator being provided within the cleaner nozzle a novel arrangement of power-transmitting means has been provided with a plurality of speed-reducing means so that the agitator speed will not .be above that which is desired. The

agitatordriving means are interconnected with the means by which the cleaner is converted from an on-the-floor cleaner to an ofl-the-fioor cleaner in a way as to provide an improved-agitator-disconnecting con'struction'when the machine is so converted. There is obviously no advantage'in having the agitator rotate in the cleaner nozzle when no air passes therethrough as. when the cleaner is effecting cleaning at a point spaced from the nozzle. These.advantageous results have been ,eifectedby a new and novel suction.

cleaner construction in which simplicity of design is complemented by a novel arrangement of cooperating functionally necessary parts to provide the desirable results.

Referring now to the drawings, a preferred embodiment of the suction cleaner constructed in accordance with the present invention is illustrated. This cleaner is seen to comprise a main casing i which is an open bottomed shell with a front wall 2 which functions as a front nozzle wail, rearwardly extending side walls 3 which converge toward the rear of the machine, a flanged rear wall 5, and an integrally formed passageway i which is positioned on the underside of the shell-like casing l and extends rather closely adjacent one oi the side walls 3 from substantially the longitudinal center of the casing to and through the rear wall 5.

The rear wall of the nozzle is formed by a separate plate 7 which at its upper edge makes sealme contact with the under surface of the top wall oi the main casting i, being secured thereto by screws 8, t. Centrally of rear nozzle wall l indicated by the reference characters M and :5,

respectively. @ooperatirig abutment shoulders upon the fan chamber sections it and cooperate with screws it to secure the fan chamber sections together as a unit and still another screw i l, at one side of the motor casing M,

supports the weight of the rear portion of that body. At the rear of the motor casing there is formed an integral, downwardly facing, laterally extending U-shaped channel it, the bottom of which is closed by an upwardly facing channel member it which is secured thereto by screws 2c. The passageway formed by the members it and it comprises a belt housing.

The foregoing construction comprises the body or casing oi the suction cleaner, and it is to be noted that it is iormed of but a relatively few parts connected to the underside of the main casting or-shell of the machine.

The cleaner body is movably supported by means of front wheels 22, mounted on the inner faces of the side walls 8, and by smaller rear wheels 23 which are rotatably mounted upon a transverselyextending axle at, the opposite ends of which are carried by downwardly extending bracket arms 25 formed integrally on the under side of the main casting. A pivoted handle 28 extends at its lower end through a slot 29 in the top wall of the main casting i to be pivotally supported upon a pivot pin 8! in ill-sectioned handle control bracket 39. The handle control bracket ill} is itself secured to the underside of the main casting l by a plurality of screws 33 and houses handle control means of any well known type as, for example, those illustrated in U. S. Letters Patent 2,218,161; It is to be noted that the pivotal axis or the handle comprising the pin 3| is positioned above the rear wheels 23 and in such a position that a propelling force exerted upon the handle would have but little effect upon the front supporting wheels 22 thereby insuring that the height of the cleaner nozzle will vary but little by virtue of any force exerted through the ham die. In the manner of the usual suction cleaner a dirt bag 33 is removsbly secured in ODBIS-UW relationship to the exhaust passageway i of the cleaner through having its seating ring at removably seated upon the flanged rear wall b of the main casting. The bag is detachably retained in any well known manner in the suction cleaner art.

Turning now to the dynamic parts of the cleaner attention is directed to the rotary agitator do which is rotatably supported within the cleaner nozzle upon a longitudinally extending supporthis shaft bland which includes a rotarybody beyond the peripheral surface oi which extend rigid beater elements 52 and flexible brush elements 43. Agitator ir is adapted to contact, beat and brush the surface covering undergoing cleanlm which is liited by nozzle suction into contact with the surface-contacting lips M and ill carried by the front nozzle .wall 2 and the rear nozzle wall l, respectively.- The cylindrical body or the agitator til is. formed with a reduced pulley surface ti in an off center position and a power-transmitting belt iii? conveys a rotating force thereto,

being itself drlven by the pulley til positioned within the nozzle and immediately above the agitator and driven in a manner which will hereinaiter be described.

The suction-creating fan for the cleaner is indicated by the reference character to and is rotatably mounted within the tan chamber, formed by the cooperating'sections it and it, upon the extended end of the motor shaft iii. The motor armature and held are or any well known type and are positioned within the motor casing it, their exact shape and'arrangement not being of .the essence, it being important to note that the shaft Si or the motor is extended from both the front and rear ends of the casing it. Within the tan chamber, however, the eye ii is entirely unobstructed by a motor shaft which in the usual cleaner is extended therethrough for the purpose of driving the agitator Ml. In the rotation 02 the driving motor the rotation of the shaft 5! causes the fan bit to be rotated whereupon a suction is created within the eye 9 which is transmitted to the cleaner nozzle. ediately air is drawn into the nozzle and the surface covering undergoing cleaning is lifted upwardly into (2011- tact with the lips b ll and Q5.

The rearward extremity oi the motor shaft ill extends into the belt housing formed by the integral channel section it and the removable lower channel section it and carries therein. a beltdrlvlns pulley iii. A normally circular belt 53, which is preferably list or v sectioned, extends laterally through the belt housing formed by the sections I8 and it to be connected at the far end of that channel to a pulley M which is carried upon a iaclrshait b5 the direction of which is substantially parallel to the motorshait bl and which extends into the belt channel tinoush a slot 58..

The isckshait 5b, which supports the pulley ll! within the nozzle and the pulley E541 withinthe belt channel, is ltscll! supported in a bearing to.

ing 62, the relationship being such that the shaft so can be circularly adjusted, within-limits and toward and from the motor shaft 38, through the bearing turnlns in its seat. As in the usualbearing construction, lubricant-retaining means 63 surround the bearing 80 which is preferably 'ol! the lubricant-porous type.

[The rear end of the iackshaft 55 is movably supported by means of a mounting comprising a U-sectioned frame 64 which is itself mounted upon the top' and bottom surfaces of the bearing housing 62, by means of pivot pins 55, 65, for pivotal movement about a vertical axis. At its rearward extremity, which is positioned just forward of the housing for the belt 53, the frame 64 carries a bearing mounting '65, which is detachably secured thereto by screws 61, and which carries a bearing 88 which directly'rotatably supports the rear end ofthe jackshaft 55. A coil from the motor shaft permitted by the driving spring 69 positioned between the bearing carrier 66 and the motor casing I 4, exerts a force upon into contact-with the lips 44 and I5 and also into contact with the agitator 40. The latter is rotated through the power-transmitting belts going cleaning,'dislod ges foreign material therethe jacks haft-carrier 64 which tends to holdthe jackshaft at all times at the maximum distance belt 53 connected therebetween. By virtue of the presence of slot' 56, through which the jackshaft 55 extends into the belt housing, that shaft is permitted lateral horizontal motion,- the coil spring 69 compressing or expanding. The lateral motion of the shaft 55 at the pulley 54 is sufllcient in extent to connect operatively 'the ,lackshaft to the driving shaft 5| through the belt 53, or to from and this materialis picked up .by the air passing through the nozzle and is exhausted into the cleanerbag as described. The operator propels the machine in the usual manner, through exerting a propelling force upon the upper end of the cleaner handle 28.

When it is desired to convert the cleaner to an off-the-floor cleaner for the purpose of cleaning drapes, furniture etc. positioned above the floor the operator manually pivots the cover plate 10 from the position illustrated in Figure 3 and in a clockwise direction, resulting in the rotation of the shaft 12 upon which it is mounted. The retation of shaft 12 effects the horizontal lateral pivotal movement of the jackshaft carrier 64 through the action of the linkage mechanism 13 and, against the resisting force of the coil spring A 69, the jackshaft is moved toward the drive shaft. This-action takes place to an extent sufficient to disconnect the jackshaft from the driveshaft 1 through removing the driving pressure between thejackshaft and the belt; In this'latter condi- I tion the belt 53 tends to assume its normal circu- I lar shape and rests'against the enclosing walls of its housing and out of contact with the motor I0 is pivoted upon a shaft 12 which extends rear- Y pulley .52 thereby eliminating belt wear.

The agitator may be disconnected from the driving motor through the lateral pivotingoi' the jackshaft 55, as indicated above, and this movement is accomplished by a mechanism which is actuated by the cover plate 10 which itself normally closes a dusting tool-receiving opening II in the front wall 2 of the nozzle. Cover plate wardly from the front wall 2 to a position adiacent the underside of the shaft carrier 54. A linkage mechanism 13 interconnects the end of the shaft 12 to the carrier so that upon therotation 01' that shaft, as upon the cover plate 10 being moved from its closed position to its open position, the shaft movement will effect the movement of the jackshaft carrier from its normal onthe-floor cleaning position, in which it is retained by the action of the spring 69, to an ofl-thefloor cleaning position in which it is closer to the driving shaft 5|. Inthe latter position the driving tension is ofi the belt I! and the jackshaft is disconnected from the motor shaft; With the cover 10 so positioned a dusting tool converter, as

- indicated, in dotted lines at 15in Figure 1, may

be inserted through the opening ll into seating relationship withthe eye 9 of the fan chamber so that cleaning air, drawn by the suction-creating fan 50, will enter through the dusting tools.

the cleaner nozzle, its norrather than through mal course.

The suction cleaner constructed in accordance with the present invention operates in the following manner: when interrelated for on-thefloorcleaning, the rotation of the driving motor causes the suction-creating fanto drawcleaning air through the nomle and to exhaust it through the fan chamber, the exhaust outlet 4,

and into the receiving dirt-filtering bag 35. The suction created within the nozzle effects the lifting of the underlying surface covering upwardly remove the driving tension fromthe belt 53which connects the jackshaft and the motor shaft and to-an extent suflicient to permit ,the belt 53 to expand against the walls of its housing and so out of contact with the driving Pu ley 52 upon the motor shaft. Thereafter the operator inserts the dusting tool converter15'through the port H, which has beenentirely uncovered by the cover", the converter extending down into sealing'relationship with the eye 9 of the fan' chamber. The usual dusting tools are connected through thQ-OOIIVGIiJBll 15 and the operatoruses them in the usual and well knownmanner,

1. In a suction cleaner of the type including a body having a nozzle, a fan chamber having its inlet connected thereto, an exhaust outlet leading from said fan chamber, and dirt-separating means connected to said outlet, a fan in said fan chamber, a motor with its shaft directly connected at one end to said fan, a rotary agitator in said nozzle, andmeans to transmit power from thereto, an exhaust outlet leading from said fan chamber, and dirt-separating means connected to said outlet; a high speed small diameter fan insaid fan chamber, a high speed motor with its f shaft directly connected at one end to said fan,

a rotary agitator in said nozzle, and meansto transmit power from said motor to said agitator, said means comprising a jackshaft with its for ward extremity in said nozzle, means mounting said jackshaft for limited pivotal movement toward and from said motor shaft, power-transmitting belts connecting said Jackshaft to said motor-shaftand'to said agitator, and manually operable meansto pivot said Jackshaft to tension or release the belt between the said iaclrshaft and the said motor shaft.

3. In a suction cleaner of the type including a body having a nozzle, a fan chamber connected thereto, an exhaust outlet leading from said fan chamber, and dirt-separating means connected to said outlet; 9. high speed small diameter fan in said fan chamber, a high speed motor with its shaft directly connected at one end to said fan, a rotary agitator in said nozzle, and means to transmit power from said motor to said agitator,

I sa'd means comprising a iaclrshaft rotatably a belt housing enclosing said normally circular belt, and means to pivot said jackshaft to tension or release said normally circular belt, said jackshaft being sufdciently movable at its point of I connection to said circular belt to become disengaged therefrom to permit said belt to move outwardly into supporting contact with the surrounding walls of said housing."

4. In a suction cleaner of the type including a body having a nozzle with a port in its front wall, a displaceable cover normally covering said port, a fan chamber open to said nozzle, a fan in said fan chamber, a motor with its shaft directly connected at one end to said fan, a jackshaft with its forward extremity in said nozzle, means mounting said jackshaft for limited pivotal movement toward and from said motor shaft, powertransmitting belts connecting said jackshaft to said motor shaft and to said agitator, and means to pivot said jackshaft to tension or release the belt between the said jackshaft and the said motor shaft upon the movement of said displaceable cover to close or open said port.

5. In a, suction cleaner of the type including a body having a nozzle with a port in its front wall, a pivoted cover normally covering said port, a fan chamber open to said nozzle, a fanin said fan chamber, a motor with its shaft directly connected at one end to said fan, a jackshaft with its forward extremity in said nozzle, means mounting said jackshaft for limited pivotal movement toward and from said motor shaft, powertransmitting belts connecting said jackshaft to said motor shaftand to said agitator, and means to pivot said jackshaft totension or release the belt between the said jackshaft and the saidmotor shaft upon the pivotal movement of said cover comprising a shaft rotatable upon the pivoting of said cover and a linkage mechanism connecting said shaft to the means mounting said jackshaft for pivotal movement.

6. In a suction cleaner, a. main casing including an open bottomed shell formed with top, side and front walls, cooperating casing sections securedwithin said shell from the underside and forming therewith a nozzle at the front of said shell, and

forming a fan chamber and a motor housing rearwardly from said nozzle in the order stated, a rotary agitator in said nomle, a fan in said fan chamber, a motor in said housing with its shaft carrying said fan at its forward end, and a driv-i ing pulley at its rearward end, a jackshaft rotatably carried by said cooperating casing sections at the side of said fan chamber and motor housing and extended forwardly into said nozzle, 9.

aeeaeei belt connecting said jackshaft to the shaft of said motor at its rearward end, a second belt connecting said jackshait to said agitator at its forward .end, said cooperating casing sections and said fan, motor and jackshaft being removable as a unit downwardly from said shell.

7. In a suction cleaner of the type having a main casting including an open bottomed shell formed with integral top, side, front and rear walls, and with an integral passageway extending forwardly from said rear wall and open therethrough. the said front wall forming the front wall of a downwardly facing nozzle, and a rear nozzle wall, a fan chamber open throu h said rear nozzle wall andformed with an exhaust outlet aligned with said integral passageway, and a motor casing, all secured to the underside of said shell; a high speed small diameter fan in said fan chamber with its axis horizontal, a high speed motor with its shaft directly connected at one end to said fan, a rotary agitator in said nozzle, and means to transmit power from, said motor to said agitator, said means comprising a jackshaft rotatably mounted in the rear wall of said nozzle and pivotally supported therein for lateral transverse pivotal movement toward and from the said motor shaft, a belt connecting said jackshaft to said agitator in said nozzle, a normally circular belt connecting said jackshaft to said motor shaft, a belt housing enclosing said normally circular belt, and means to pivot said jackshaft to tension or release said normally circular belt, said iackshaft being suificiently movable at its point of connection to said circular belt to become disengaged therefrom. to permit said belt to move outwardly intosupporting contact with the surrounding walls of said housing.

8. In a suction cleaner, 2. body having a nozzle, a fan chamber and an air passageway connecting said nozzle and fan chamber, a motor having a shaft for driving a fan in said fan chamber, a rotary agitator in said nozzle extending normal to said motor shaft, power transmitting means from said motor to said agitator to rotate the latter and including a pivotally movable means having its opposite ends forming connections in said power transmitting means, one

end of said pivotally movable means extendinginto said nozzle to a point above said agitator for connection to the latter, a port in said body to said air passageway, a pivoted cover normally closing said port and connected to said power transmitting means, pivoting of said cover shifting said pivotally movable means to render the latter ineffective to rotate said agitator.

9. In a suction cleaner, a main casing having an open bottom shell formed with integral top, side, front and rear walls, and with an integral passageway extending forwardly from said rear wall and open therethrough, said frontwallforming the frontwall of a. downwardly facing nozzle, a rear nozzl wall secured within said main casing opposite said front nozzle wall and formed with parts of a fan chamber and parts of an exhaust passageway, and a motor casing secured within said main casing and having parts complementary to said parts of-said fan chamber to complete the latter, said. motor casing having 5 

